CINCINNATI — After leading the entire game, the Reds couldn't finish, collapsing in the ninth and falling 6-4 to the San Francisco Giants on Opening Day.
Ace Hunter Greene had seven strikeouts and just one hit in the first three innings as the Reds batters made life difficult for Giants starter Logan Webb.
In the first inning, Elly De La Cruz — a powerful hitter who has had a noticeably high strikeout rate — worked a walk in his first at-bat. Gavin Lux followed suit. Jeimer Candelario made San Francisco pay for the free bases, knocking the speedy De La Cruz in with a line drive to right field.
When Webb faced De La Cruz, Lux and Candelario again in the third inning, the three delivered once again. This time, De La Cruz singled, getting teammate TJ Friedl to second base. A Lux single moved everyone up again, and Candelario delivered the final blow — hitting another RBI single to make it 3-0.
Greene, having only given up one hit in the first three innings, walked Jung Hoo Lee in the top of the fourth, setting up a two-run homer by Heliot Ramos. The Reds starter gave up only one more hit, a single in the top of the fifth, before reliever Scott Barlow took the reins in the sixth inning.
Relievers for both teams kept the bats at bay through the eighth inning. Ian Gibaut came out in the top of the ninth, striking out his first batter before putting the tying run on base. A single by Matt Chapman put runners on first and third. Gibaut struck out Ramos, who hit the home run earlier in the game, but was unable to close it out against catcher Patrick Bailey, giving up an RBI single to make it 3-3.
Gibaut could never settle down, hanging a pitch to Wilmer Flores, who hit a three-run homer to make it 6-3.
Reds reliever Sam Moll stepped in to get the final out in the top of the ninth. The Reds tried to rally, with Jacob Hurtubise getting on base and stealing second. Friedl knocked him in to get them within two runs. Matt McLain tried to will them to another run, but flew out to left field to make it final, 6-4 Giants.
The two will face off again Saturday at 4:10 p.m.
